Big increase in number of female ministers
Ethiopia’s premier Abiy Ahmed named new ministers to the key posts of finance, agriculture, defence, peace, trade industry on Tuesday as part of a reshuffle to help implement reforms and make the government better-structured.
The new line-up approved by the parliament, includes Ahmed Shidie minister of finance, Omer Husen minister of agriculture, and Tilaye Gete minister of education.
Under the new cabinet, cabinet number has been downsized from 28 portfolios to 20. The government communications affairs office, Ministry of public service and human resources, ministry of environment and climate change have been dissolved. A newly formed ministry of peace will oversee the national intelligence and security service, information network security agency, federal police commission and finance security and information centre.The Finfinnee Intercept, a web portal reported that the original name proposed by the team of experts who studied government structures of other countries and came up with the list was ministry of peace and interior. It was the Prime Minister who decided to keep only the name ministry of peace, the web portal wrote. Mufuriat Kamil who has agricultural extension background and who had previously served as House speaker, would be in charge of the ministry, making her a powerful figure of the Abiy’s administration.
Gender-balanced cabinet
Prime Minister Abiy formed a gender-balanced cabinet, with 10 of 20 posts taken by women, a decision which he described as the first in the history of Ethiopia. Head of EPRDF office, Fetlework Gebre Egziabher trade industry minister, former deputy mayor of Addis Ababa, Dagmawit Moges, minister of transport, and former mayor of Adama Adanech Abeebe minister of revenue, it was announced. Aisha Mohammed, a civil engineer by training and a former minister of construction, was named defence minister.
Those Abiy retained included foreign minister Workneh Gebeyehu and water and irrigation minister Sileshi Bekele, both of whom appointed in late 2016 by Hailemariam Desalegn and health minister Amir Aman and women and children minister Yalem Tsegaye Asfaw appointed on April 2018.
However, some have raised concerns about the appointments, saying it was more based on representativeness than merit. “The decision to put women in leadership position is to be applauded. But a question should be posed. Was the appointment based on merit or mere representation? Should representativeness be an important factor of consideration in the appointment of ministers? Do they feel the criteria?” Hagos Gebrehiowt, a lecturer at Mekele University asked.
Abiy Ahmed was re-elected as EPRDF’s chairman on October 5 until the next congress, which usually takes place every two to three years. This is the second cabinet named since Abiy took office in April.
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